Expressive Typography

Elevate your understanding of how type can transcend standard communication and become more powerful. Ina Saltz begins by defining expressiveness, and examining its origins through examples drawn from historic movements like Russian Constructivism and Dada. You’ll learn to recognize the pioneers and principles of expressive type, as well as its current practitioners. Explore cutting-edge examples from print and motion graphics, the world of expressive display fonts, customized lettering, flamboyant ornamental styles, and era-specific designs. Discover how to pair form and function, harnessing specific typefaces to convey a distinctive mood. Learn best practices for selecting, organizing, and saving expressive fonts from both well-known foundries and lesser-known sources. Experiment with variable and hand-lettered forms to push the boundaries of legibility while staying connected to clarity. Embark with a refreshed typographic eye, ready to leverage a vibrant, evolving design practice.

Learning objectives
Identify the fundamental characteristics that define expressive typography.
Understand key historical influences shaping modern expressive typographic styles.
Apply principles of style, form, and function to convey mood and purpose through type.
Analyze how legibility and experimentation intersect in emerging typographic trends.
Evaluate the impact of expressive type choices across print, digital, and motion media.